Toy tractor-chain and link therefor



L. S TROHACKLER. TOY TRACTOR CHAIN AND LINK THEREFOR. m'ucnmu men run. 1. I920.

1,353,861 Patented Sept. 28, 1920..

m 0 o m" N I e G Q N w; W 9 o 'm o m LOUIS STROHACKER, OF FREE PORT, ILLINQIS, ASSIGNOR TO STRUCTO MANUFAC- TURING COMPANY, OF FBEEPORT, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Application filed March 1,

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I, LOUIS STROHAOKER, a; citizen of theUnited States, and. a resident of Freeport, Stephenson county, and State of Illinois, have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in ToyTractor- Chains and Links Therefor, of which the following is declared to be a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to toy tractor chains and links therefor, and its principal object is to provide a cheap, simple, easily assembled chain adapted to be trained around toothed wheels of toy tractors and like toys, and forming the traction element of the toy, or the traveling element thereof which rests upon and travels upon the surface upon which the toy is placed.

Another object is to provide links for making up the chain, the blanks of which are adapted to be struck up from light sheet metal, such as sheet tin or the like, and formed into the complete link, each being arranged to be linked into adjacent ones to form an endless chain.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly broken out, of a chain embodying a simple form of the present invention and showing the same applied to a pair of toothed wheels of a toy. Fig. 2 is a plan of a fragment of the lower part of the chain. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the links that comprise the chain, and Fi 4 is a lan of one of the blanks from w ich the llnk is formed.

eferring to said drawin the reference character 5 designates the frame of a toy of any desired form, preferably one simulat ing a machine of the tractor type, and 6 designates toothed wheels rotatively mounted at one side of the frame, it bein understood that similar wheels are mounted on the other side of the frame to provide a four-wheeled toy structure. Trained around the wheels 6 is the endless toy chain 7, which forms the subject matter of this invention.

The chain com rises a number of similar links 8, linke to ether as will be hereinafter described. ach link 8 is struck up from light. gage sheet metal, such as sheet tin, to form a blank 8 (see Fig. 4)

Specification of Letters Patent.

'I'OY TRACTOR-CHAIN AND LINK THEREFOR.

Patented Sept. 28, 1920. 1920. Serial No. 862,812.

comprising a rectangular body or main por tion 9, from which projects a wing 10, at each side, and a reduced end portion 11 at one end which has a laterally-projecting tongue 12 at each side. Each wing proects beyond the end-of the body portion 9 of the blank, and the end thereof is rounded ofl". oppositely-disposed holes 13 are formed in the projecting ends of the wings, which holes are a trifle larger in diameter than the width of the tongues 12.

In forming up a link from the blank just described, the wings 10 are bent down along the lines 14 (see Fig. 4) to extend at right angles to the plane of the body portion, and the reduced end portion 11 is bent down along the transverse line 15 to form a rib 16 which extends substantially at right angles to the plane of the body and at right angles to the plane of the wings (see Fig. 3). The tongues 12 extend far enough beyond the reduced portion 11, to extend through the holes of an adjacent link when inserted therein.

A link thus formed up comprises the rectangular body portion 9 having perforated lengthwise-extending wings 10 that extend at right angles to the body portion, and the crosswise extending reduced end portion 16 extending in the same direction from the body portion as the wings and having the laterally-projecting tongues 12 at its sides, which are adapted to enter the holes in the wings of an adjacent link.

In assembling a number, of the links to form an endless chain, the tongues are inserted in the holes of adjacent links, when the wings are spread apart slightly, or before they are fully bent at right angles to the body portion, it being understood that the body portions of all the links are arranged to lie in line with each other when the chain is laid out flat. The end links are then linked together in the same manner, the two wheels inserted in the loop of the chain, and both wheels slipped on their axles or shafts of the toy for which the chain is intended.

The outer faces of the body portions 9 form the traction surface of the chainthe wings 10 straddle the wheels as the links pass around the same and act to prevent the chain from slipping off the wheels and the crosswise ribs 16 enter the spaces between the teeth of the wheels.

PATENT OFFICE.

One oi the toothed wheels on each side of the toy may he driven by a. sprin r motor, as is common and well known in t e toy art, and the chains may thereby he employed. to propel the toy, or the chains may be trained around lrecly revolalile wheels of toys that are )ulled along by a cord.

3 orc or loss variation of the exact details of ronstruriion is possible without departing from the spirit of this invention; I desire, therefore, not to limit myself to the exact form of the construction shown and described, but intend, in the following claims to point out all of the invention disclosed herein.

l claim as new Letters Patent:

1. A toy tractor chain comprising linked sheet metal links, each comprising a rectangular body portion having lengthwise-extending side wings perforated at one end and disposed at right angles to said body portion, and a crosswiseextending rib disposed at an angle to said body portion on the same side as said wings and having laterally-projecting tongues adapted to enter and desire to secure hy the perforations ot' the wings of an adjacent link.

2. All endless:v toy chain of the character described, comprising linked sheet metal links, each coin )rising a body portion having side wings lient at right angles thereto and extending; lengthwise oi the link, said wings havinp oppositely-disposed holes at one end, said body portion having also a (.liIHSWlSQ-tXtOIHllHg rih disposed at right angles thereto on the same side thereof the wings and being formed with laterally projecting tongues entering the holes of the wings of an adjacent link.

:3. A toy tractor chain link formed of a single piece of sheet metal having a rectangular body portion, lengthwise-extending perforated side wings disposed at right angles to the body portion, and a reduced end portion having a crosswise-extending part disposed at right angles to the body portion on the same side thereof as the win 5 and having laterally-projecting tongues a apted to enter the holes in the wings of the correspondingly formed link.

LOUIS STROHACKER. 

